Pneumatic reel fiber pay out system

Abstract

Apparatus for pneumatically pulling on optical filament from test bobbin and winding the optical filament onto the surface of a non-rotating spool. The filament is guided about the surface of the spool by one or more streams of fluid at supersonic flow and is wound into a groove in the cylindrical surface of the spool. The filament is wound onto the supply bobbin so that withdrawal of the filament from the supply bobbin imparts a twist to the filament as it is withdrawn and the filament is wound onto the spool in a direction which imparts a twist to said filament in the opposite direction to that the twist imparted by pulling the filament from the supply bobbin is offset by the twist imparted to the filament while winding the filament on the spool.

I claim: 
     
       1. Apparatus for testing wound optical filament bobbins under conditions simulating operational conditions, comprising: (a) a stationary support for supporting a filament bobbin against rotation in a fixed position;   (b) a non-rotating cylindrical spool for receiving said filament from a filament bobbin supported on said stationary support;   (c) stationary means disposed about the circumference of said spool for creating a supersonic stream of fluid between said stationary means and the surface of said non-rotating spool and for guiding said optical filament between said stationary means and said surface of said spool, and through an opening in said spool;   (d) a stationary signal transmitting means connected to an end of said filament for transmitting signals through said filament during the testing of said optical filament; and   (e) control means for controlling said supersonic stream of fluid between said spool surface and said stationary means to pull said filament from said bobbin and for winding said filament about said spool.   
     
     
       2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said spool is provided with a filament storage groove on a cylindrical portion of said spool. 
     
     
       3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said stationary means comprises a tangential nozzle for creating said supersonic stream of fluid. 
     
     
       4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3, wherein said stationary means comprises a plurality of stationary tangential nozzles for creating said supersonic stream of fluid. 
     
     
       5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said spool has a generally conical nose portion-that cooperates with an internal generally conical surface in said stationary means to guide said filament onto said spool. 
     
     
       6. Apparatus for pneumatically pulling an optical filament from a supply bobbin and winding said filament onto a non-rotating spool, comprising: (a) a stationary supply bobbin for supplying an optical filament;   (b) a non-rotating spool for receiving said optical filament;   (c) stationary means for creating a supersonic stream of fluid around the surface of said non-rotating spool and for guiding said optical filament into said fluid stream for entraining and winding said filament onto an outer surface of said non-rotating spool; and   (d) control means for controlling the flow of said supersonic stream of fluid about the surface of said spool for pulling said optical filament from said supply bobbin and for winding said filament onto the surface of said spool.   
     
     
       7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein said spool is provided with a filament storage groove on a cylindrical portion of said spool. 
     
     
       8. Apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein said stationary means comprises a tangential nozzle for creating said supersonic stream of fluid. 
     
     
       9. Apparatus as set forth in claim 8, wherein said stationary means comprises a plurality of stationary tangential nozzles for creating said supersonic stream of fluid. 
     
     
       10. Apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein said spool has a generally conical nose portion that cooperates with an internal generally conical surface in said stationary means to guide said filament onto a cylindrical surface of said spool.